Finance

Issuance remains heavy this week, but while it's elevated, the muni market is "structurally undersupplied," meaning if 2024's record level of $500 billion-plus of issuance was doubled, the market could still digest it quite well, said Wesly Pate, a senior portfolio manager at Income Research + Management.

Short-end U.S. Treasuries rallied mid-morning, while UST yields were little changed out long, but ended the day weaker across most of the curve with the greatest losses out long. Munis were steady throughout the day.

S&P Global Ratings primarily cited a "precipitous decline" in unrestricted cash to explain its triple-notch downgrade of the system.

"Apathy and caution" were the theme of the past week, said Birch Creek strategists.

The Trump administration wants to shed federal office space, and bonds backed by those leases are feeling the heat.

The $2.5 billion Brightline West and $849 million Hawaii deals stood out among the rash of issuances last month alongside the ongoing tax exemption debate.

New York City leads the negotiated calendar with $1.4 billion of GOs, followed by the Regents of the University of California with $1.2 billion of general revenue bonds.

While UST yields rose up to five basis points out long Thursday, the current rally "that has taken the 30-year UST closer to where the 10-year yield traded a week ago has not impacted the same range in munis," said Kim Olsan, senior fixed income portfolio manager at NewSquare.

It has been a bit of a "heavy start" to the year for issuance, said Jeff Devine, a municipal research analyst at GW&K.

The rating agency cited the state's ample reserves, robust natural resource base and critical role in U.S. strategic interests.

Muni prices continue to "show relative resilience" despite a nearly record pace of issuance, said Matt Fabian, a partner at Municipal Market Analytics.

Last week, "there was no meaningful economic data to digest and yields were slightly lower," said Daryl Clements, a portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein.

Market activity has been somewhat "subdued," and USTs yields have been "relatively well-behaved," though the 10- to 30-year rates have slightly underperformed, moving up three to five basis points, said Barclays strategist Mikhail Foux.

The Trump administration singled out the Las Vegas-Los Angeles bullet train for praise Thursday, the same day the deal priced.

Investors added $546.3 million to municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending Wednesday, following $238.5 million of inflows the prior week, according to LSEG Lipper data.

White Lake Township, Michigan, is facing legal action on two fronts: one of them related to the hack of its bond deal closing last year, the other a civil suit. 

The Investment Company Institute reported outflows of $336 million for the week ending Feb. 12, following $852 million of inflows the previous week.

Senior Vice President Tamika Reed will staff a new Montgomery, Alabama, office, and Vice President Narineh Panosian joins the firm in Los Angeles.

Women in Public Finance has announced the 2025 members of its board of directors and plans to expand its offerings as it nears its 30th anniversary.

Municipals were narrowly mixed to start the holiday-shortened week, but the lighter supply should buoy the market.